Barbara Greenspun remembers 1966: Dandolos was polite, gentle

I remember Nick the Greek Dandolos as a polite and gentle man who would gamble on almost anything. Consequently, his fortunes rose and fell. One day he would be a millionaire, the next day a pauper.

One year, just before Christmas, Nick said he had a present for me. The holidays came and went but no sign of Nick and his gift.

Finally in February an excited Nick the Greek came to my office at the Sun and handed me a small package.

"Here's your Christmas gift," he announced. "It would have been here sooner, but I couldn't find the fellow I hocked it with."

That was typical of Nick. I still have and treasure that precious memento. When Nick died, 10 days after Hank wrote the column that appears on this page, he was penniless. Hank and some of his friends got together and gave Nick a funeral befitting royalty -- golden casket and all -- for Nick the Greek Dandolos was truly a Las Vegas legend.